Recently released officer body cam footage shows the events leading to a fatal shooting in Virginia in June. Footage shows a suspect appear to pull a gun and open fire on officers. Then, Roanoke Police fire back at the suspect, killing the man.
Roanoke Police Drop Armed Suspect
The incident began when officers approached two men. Police already sought one of the men for questioning in a previous shooting, reported The Roanoke Times. But when offices approached, both men began running. Officers then observed one man carrying a handgun. The armed man turned out to be 26-year-old Rasheed Moorman.
Footage shows officers yell multiple times to drop the weapon. But the Moorman just keeps running. He later turns and appears to open fire on the officers. That’s when at least one officer returned fire on the suspect.
“The circumstances dictated the officer’s actions,” retired Radford University criminal justice professor Tod Burke told The Roanoke Times.
“The taking of any human life is a tragedy and is reflected in the necessity of this statement,” said Police Chief Sam Roman. “The incident you will observe in the video highlights the difficulty of striking a balance between the officer and community safety.”
Investigators claimed Moorman fired at least four shots, reported The Roanoke Times. He struck an apartment twice, endangering others. A third shot hit a police vehicle. The investigation concluded officer J.P. Bourgeois returned fire, taking 10 shots, three of which struck Moorman. Authorities transported Moorman to a local hospital. He died there from his wounds, reported The Roanoke Times.
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